The primary endpoint is (i) the average of log10 viral loads (VL) at wks 72 and 76 for participants who continued to wk 72 off ARV for the DT arm, (ii) average wk 72 and 76 VL for those who continued to wk 36 off ARV for the IT arm and (iii) an assigned VL rank for the "failures" who needed ARVs or met criteria for entry into Step 2 prior to these study visits. The assigned rank for the failures was either the last observed rank carried forward or the worst rank relative to the other possible outcomes. This approach was designed to, if anything, bias against finding a treatment effect. To illustrate, consider five participants who enter the study (A, B, C, D, and E), 4 of whom (A, B, C, D) make it to 72 wks off therapy with RNA levels that increase from A to D. Participant E enters Step 2 at wk 12, at which time his RNA is in the 50th percentile. This rank would be carried forward, so the rank order of the log10 HIV-1 RNA endpoints would be A B E C D.

The primary endpoint is (i) average wk 36 and 40 VL for those who continued to wk 36 off ARV for the DT arm, (ii) average wk 72 and 76 VL for those who continued to wk 36 off ARV for the IT arm and (iii) an assigned VL rank for the "failures" who needed ARVs or met criteria for entry into Step 2 prior to these study visits. The assigned rank for the failures was either the last observed rank carried forward or the worst rank relative to the other possible outcomes. This approach was designed to, if anything, bias against finding a treatment effect. To illustrate, consider five participants who enter the study (A, B, C, D, and E), 4 of whom (A, B, C, D) make it to 72 wks off therapy with RNA levels that increase from A to D. Participant E enters Step 2 at wk 12, at which time his RNA is in the 50th percentile. This rank would be carried forward, so the rank order of the log10 HIV-1 RNA endpoints would be A B E C D.

Number of Participants in IT Arm Off Treatment Before 36 Weeks [ Time Frame: At Week 36 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The study provided fixed-dose combination emtricitabine/tenofovir DF 200/300 mg orally once daily and lopinavir/ritonavir 200/50 mg administered either as two tablets twice daily or four tablets once daily, for the first 36 weeks for individuals in the IT arm.

Time to Meeting the Clinical, Virologic, or Immunologic Criteria for Treatment Initiation or Re-initiation [ Time Frame: 96 weeks since randomization ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles in weeks from randomization to meeting the criteria for treatment initiation or re-initiation which include CD4 count below 350 cells/mm^3 on two consecutive measurements at least 4 weeks apart, at least 12 weeks into the study or 12 weeks post-treatment discontinuation, confirmed CD4 count below 200 cells/mm^3 or CD4 percent below 14% at any time on study, confirmed HIV-1 RNA level above 750,000 copies/mL 4 weeks into the study or above 200,000 copies/mL 12 weeks or more into the study, or CDC Category B or C diagnosis.

Time From Study Entry in DT Arm Participants or From Week 36 in IT Arm Participants to Meeting the Clinical, Virologic, or Immunologic Criteria for Treatment Initiation or Re-initiation [ Time Frame: 96 weeks since randomization ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles in weeks from randomization for DT arm or from week 36 for IT arm to meeting the criteria for treatment initiation or re-initiation which include two consecutive CD4 count below 350 cells/mm^3 at least 4 weeks apart, at least 12 weeks into the study or 12 weeks post-treatment discontinuation, confirmed CD4 count below 200 cells/mm^3 or CD4 percent below 14% at any time on study, confirmed HIV-1 RNA level above 750,000 copies/mL 4 weeks into the study or above 200,000 copies/mL 12 weeks or more into the study, or CDC Category B or C diagnosis.

Time to Treatment Initiation or Death [ Time Frame: 5 years since randomization ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

5th, 10th, 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles in weeks from randomization to treatment initiation or death

Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE

Not Provided

Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE

Not Provided

Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE

Not Provided

Descriptive Information

Brief Title ICMJE

Nine Month Course of Anti-HIV Medications for People Recently Infected With HIV

Official Title ICMJE

The SETPOINT Study - A Randomized Study of the Effect of Immediate Treatment With Potent Antiretroviral Therapy Versus Observation With Treatment as Indicated in Newly Infected HIV-1 Infected Subjects: Does Early Therapy After the Virologic Setpoint?

Brief Summary

Although some doctors favor starting anti-HIV treatment as soon as possible after patients learn they are infected, it is not known if treatment for recently infected patients results in long-term benefits or harm. The purpose of this study is to learn whether or not people should take anti-HIV drugs when they are first infected.

Detailed Description

Combination antiretroviral therapy has resulted in significantly decreased morbidity and mortality, incidence of opportunistic infections, and hospitalizations in HIV infected people. However, because of long-term toxicities associated with long-term use of antiretrovirals and the persistence of virus in latent reservoirs, it is unclear when it is best to initiate therapy in recently infected individuals. This study compared the virologic outcomes of adults recently infected with HIV who received emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF), coformulated as Truvada, and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV), coformulated as Kaletra [immediate treatment (IT arm)], with those who received no treatment [deferred treatment (DT arm)].

The original study lasted 96 weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups (IT arm vs. DT arm). For the first 36 weeks of the study, IT arm participants received FTC/TDF once daily and LPV/RTV twice daily. Some IT arm participants received a different ART regimen as determined by the participant and study staff, if appropriate. DT arm participants received no treatment for the duration of the study. At Week 37, participants from both arms were offered treatment continuation or initiation until Week 96 if they had a high viral load, low CD4 count, or experienced HIV-related symptoms (Step 2). Study visits occurred at screening, Weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 37, 38, 40, and every 4 weeks thereafter. Clinical assessment and blood collection occurred at all visits. Urine tests occurred at selected visits. Participants were asked to complete an adherence questionnaire at Weeks 12, 24, and 36.

Per the recommendations the DSMB review in June 2009, this protocol was terminated as originally written with the exception of those participants in the IT arm in the middle of the first 36 weeks of treatment. Those participants were to continue on treatment until the end of the 36 weeks. At that point treatment decisions were made on best practice guidelines. In addition, the study duration was extended to include a 5 year follow up of participants who did not initiate long-term antiretroviral therapy (Step 3).

The study was reviewed by an SMC on December 8, 2010. The SMC recommended the study close to long term follow-up because only very few participants enrolled in this portion of the study.

All the results except for the CD4 analysis and time to treatment initiation and deaths were based on the database frozen on July 2, 2009. The results for the CD4 analysis and time to treatment initiation and deaths were based on the database frozen on January 30, 2012.

CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3 or CD4 percent less than 14% at any time on study

Exclusion Criteria for Step 2:

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Inclusion Criteria for Step 3:

Study participants who were on Step 1, IT arm and had completed or ended prematurely the 36 week course of early ART and did not on ART either because they did not meet eligibility criteria for Step 2 or because they did not start ART even after meeting the Step 2 eligibility criteria.

Study participants on Step 1, DT arm who were not on ART either because they did not meet eligibility criteria for Step 2 or because they did not start ART even after meeting the Step 2 eligibility criteria.

Previous A5217 participants who had either completed the study or ended prematurely their participation in the study, AND were not on ART either because they never met eligibility criteria for Step 2 or because they had not started ART even after meeting the Step 2 eligibility criteria.

All A5217 participants who were on Step 1 and in the midst of their 36 weeks of randomized ART and who completed a portion or all of the 36 weeks of originally recommended therapy, AND chose then to interrupt their ART.

Exclusion Criteria for Step 3:

Participants who were on Step 1, IT arm of the study receiving ART.

Participants in Step 2 or who had otherwise initiated long-term ART, regardless of whether they were on treatment.

Gender

Both

Ages

18 Years and older

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Contacts ICMJE

Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects

Listed Location Countries ICMJE

United States, Peru

Removed Location Countries

Administrative Information

NCT Number ICMJE

NCT00090779

Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE

ACTG A5217, 1U01AI068636, AIEDRP AIN503, ACTG A5217

Has Data Monitoring Committee

Yes

Responsible Party

AIDS Clinical Trials Group

Study Sponsor ICMJE

AIDS Clinical Trials Group

Collaborators ICMJE

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group

Investigators ICMJE

Study Chair:

Christine Hogan, MD

Division of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons